We nominated Erica for her compassion, fastidious work, and dedication to the Sparta operating room. Erica's presence there has made operating in Sparta a true pleasure. Before Erica transitioned to her current role, operating in Sparta was a daunting task. Instruments were disorganized and staff would have difficulty operating the surgical devices. Erica Worrell draws from her extensive nursing experience to successfully handle any situation that might unexpectedly arise. We are confident that we speak for other surgeons when we say we are always comforted by Erica's presence in the operating room.

Examples of her considerable skill and cool but compassionate demeanor include caring for a disruptive microsurgery patient who required intraoperative attention for a full bladder. Similarly, her cool head and fast thinking allowed a smooth transition from monitored anesthesia care to general anesthesia during a recent surgery. Erica has a warm and welcoming personality that allows patients to feel at ease and staff to feel comfortable in an environment that is stress-inducing at baseline. Her demeanor and work ethic exemplify the qualities of a most irreplaceable nurse. She has single-handedly transformed the environment in Sparta to such a degree that we dread the days we know she won't be there.